Review of A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) by Brenden D — 01 Oct 2012
On a rain swept night, a group of young friends are eating at the Springwood Diner where Nancy Holbeck (ROONEY MARA) works as a waitress. She serves Quentin Smith (KYLE GALLNER) - who is attracted to her - and Jesse Braun (THOMAS DEKKER), but Jesse is none too amused that his former girlfriend Kris Fowler (KATIE CASSIDY) is talking to Dean Russell (KELLEN LUTZ) at another table.
Dean looks dreadful, like he has been awake for days, and he tells Kris that he is afraid to sleep for he believes someone is trying to kill him in his dreams. Kris encourages him that dreams are not reality but when she returns from a toilet break it is to see Dean apparently fighting an unseen adversary with a knife and before she can intervene the struggle ends when Dean has his throat slit.
Days later after Deans funeral, Nancy learns that Kris, Jesse and Quentin are also suffering intense nightmares featuring the same assailant. They are being remorselessly stalked by a grotesque, heavily burned man wearing a glove enhanced with sharp knives on the fingers.
As the nightmares intensify, Nancy and Quentin resolve to find answers and unravel the deadly mystery. Just who is this terrifying man hunting them? Why are their parents Gwen Holbrook (CONNIE BRITTON) and Alan Smith (CLANCEY BROWN) being so secretive about their past and the infamous Springwood child killer named Freddy Krueger (JACKIE EARLY HALEY)?
Having been a fan of the original 1984 classic chiller, I was pleasantly surprised by this remake. HALEY makes a great Freddy Krueger, giving him a somewhat darker tone then ROBERT ENGLUNDS own iconic performance, while advances in makeup and CGI effects give him a more realistic burns victim look. Elm Street devotees will enjoy hearing quotes from the franchise while there are several shock moments and a suitable nice, macabre ending too!
Special Features include two deleted scenes and an alternate ending (just over 8 minutes in length) and seven small features (20 minutes), each on a different subject including Freddys famous hat, sweater and glove. There is a 14 minute Freddy Krueger Reborn documentary and, best of all, the highly insightful Maniac Movie Mode played during the film.
Although film remakes often divide fans between those who love and hate them, most will undoubtedly agree that A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET is one of the better ones!
This review of A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) was written by Brenden D on 01 Oct 2012.
A Nightmare on Elm Street has generally received mixed reviews.
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